Retief equals record
Retief Goosen equalled his own championship record when he demolished Australian Mark Hensby 12 and 11 to reach his first HSBC World Match Play semi-final at Wentworth today.
After crushing England’s Kenneth Ferrie eight and seven in the opening round the top seed won in even more convincing fashion against the man who had knocked out Colin Montgomerie.
Goosen won 10 of the first 16 holes – a record in itself – and lunched nine up after scoring a six-under-par 66 to the miserable five-over 77 of his opponent.
Hensby could not turn the tide, losing the 22nd to a birdie four and the next to a par three.
When Goosen then made a 20-footer on the next a new record was a possibility, but the 25th was shared in par fours and so the world number five matched his result against Jeff Maggert in the first round last year.
For the second day running the South African had a long wait to discover his next opponent.
Australian Steve Elkington came from two down to lead US Open champion Michael Campbell by five after 17, but then the New Zealander hit back to trail by two after five holes of the afternoon round.
Paul McGinley was having much the better of things against Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald.
After winning four of the first six holes McGinley, conqueror of Thomas Bjorn in his first match ever in the event, stretched his advantage to six with a 66 and made that seven when Donald, who had everything from a chip-in eagle to a double bogey before the interval, bogeyed the 21st.
Donald chipped in at the next, but only for a half.
In the bottom contest Angel Cabrera, who pipped McGinley to the BMW Championship on the course in May, led Jose Maria Olazabal by two after 20 holes.
